FW: windows terminology

[Sheldon Siegel <sheldon -dot- siegel -at- ATTWS -dot- COM>]

my three cents:

I just use "xxx dialog box" and "yyy tab" ...

Once I decided to go with "dialog box," it became easier to name names ...
eventually, when the general public learns terms like "dialog box," the
world will become an easier place for us tech writers.

Sheldon Siegel
Online Help Writer
AT&T Wireless Services
sheldon -dot- siegel -at- attws -dot- com
 ----------
From: TECHWR-L
To: Multiple recipients of list TECHWR-L
Subject: Re: windows terminology
Date: Friday, April 12, 1996 4:00PM

On Friday, April 12, 1996 10:42 AM, Wendy Michaels wrote:
>Interesting thread. I am trying to document a project with one of
>these tab-thingie's too. The lone tab box in my current project is
>titled "Maintenance" and I refer to it as the Maintenance box
>(nothing sounds better so far). I could live with "the Maintenance
>file-tab box" if that was the standard, but "the Maintenance
>tabbed dialog" ... Nope. Can't do it. I noticed in Word 7 help, the
>instructions for getting to the Tools/Options tab box avoids
>calling it anything, something like: "From Tools, click Options,
>then click View" That's fine for a user like myself, but I need to
>break it down a lot more for my audience (non-computer users).

>I use "the <PageName> tab" when instructing the user to
>select one, but each "page"? the user tabs to is really a
>mini-dialog box? What are we calling these?

When I document the page that is displayed by clicking on a "tab," I
extend the tab metaphor and refer to the page as the "<PageName> folder."
 Not the most elegant solution, but I think it works.

Kent Newton
Senior Technical Writer
Metrix, Inc.
kentn -at- metrix-inc -dot- com